Screw holder and driver



March 2 1926.

J. L.. CRAIG ET Al.

SCREW HOLDER AND DRIVER rv WTV/WWIWM Filed Feb. 1l,

A TTORNEYJ.

Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMESl L. CRAIG AND ALEXANDER BLYTH CRAIG, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SCREW HOLDER AND DRIVER.

Application led IEebruz-iry 11, 1925.

To all zoioin'zftmwy conce-rn.'

Be it known kthat we,- JAMES L. Cierro and `ALEXANDER BLYTH CRAIG, citizens of the ments in Screw Holders and Drivers, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tools and particularly to a new and improved screw driver having means cooperating therewith for se curely holding a screw in straight driving position while the 'same is being driven. IVe are aware that various devices have been provided for performing this function and it is the primary object of our invention to provide au improved device of this type and for this purpose which is comparatively simple in construction and strong and eiiicient in operation.

In accordance with our invention, we support a sleeve for axial movement on the shank of an ordinary` screw driver near the bit end. v This sleeve pivotally carries a pair of screw engaging jaws on the lower end thereof. yIn the lowermost position oi the `sleeve the screw engaging portions. of the jaws are below the bit While in the upper position such portions are above the bit and out of interfering position therewith. Means is carried by the 'sleeve for moving the jaws into and out of screw engaging position. It is a further object of our invention to provide a veryconvenient and eiiciently operating device of this character.

l'jVith the above Yand other 'objects in view, our invention consists in the features of construction and operation set forth in the following speciication and illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In such'drawing annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification we have illustrated one specific embodiment of our invention, but it will be understood that the invention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawing is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this lspecification being relied upon for that urpose.

Re erring to the figures of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a screw driver having our improved devicemounted thereon, the device being illustrated in longitu- -dinal section.

Fig. 2 is a. like View showing the parts in another position.

Serial N0. 8,380.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the device showing the parts in another position.

F ig. 4 is a. bottom plan view of the device.

Fig. 5 is a cross 'section taken on line V V of Fig. 1.

vI" (i is a detail view of one of the screw holding jaws.

Referring more specifically to the drawing by reference characters, 1 indicates the shank ot a screw driver having a handle 2 on one end and having its other Vend formed into ay` driving bit 3. Our improved screw holding device which cooperates therewith is 'supported on a sleeve el adapted to be secured to theshank by a pin 5.

A second sleeve G is mounted on the sleeve 4 and normally rests against a. shoulder T onthe lower end thereof. This sleeve '6 is slidable axially on' the sleeve #l to two positions and is held in such positions by a spring pressed ball 8 engaging in either ot two annular grooves 9 and 10 in the sleeve Upward movement of the sleeve G is limited` by a nut 1l on the sleeve L1- and downward movement thereof is lin'iited by the shoulder 7.

Pivoted to the lower. end of the sleeve (i at 12 are two screw holding jaws 13. fr pair of screw engaging and holding elcments 14; are 'swiveled to the lower ends ot the jaws, this swivel connection permitting the elements to automatically adjust themselves to the proper engagement ot' different `'sized screws. A jaw operating member 15 is slidably and rotatably mounted on the sleeve 6 and a lower annular ring portion 16 thereof surrounds the jaws .13. Movement of the member 15 downwardly to the position shown in F ig. 1 is adapted to engage the ljaws with a screw 17 to be driven, while movement thereof upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 is adapted to engage the ring portion 16 with the upper` ends 1S of the jaws and withdraw the elements 14 from the screw.

The operation of our improved device when mounted on a screw driver, as illustrated, is substantially as follows: The parts are moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 and a screw 17 is placed inthe position illustrated. The member 15 is then moved downwardly to engage the portion 16 with thel jaws to move and hold the elements 14 thereof firmly engaged with the screw. In this position, the screw is lirmly-held and the bit 3 isgin engagement therewith. The

screw, being thus supported, the 'saine can be driven straight without any ot' the diticnlti-es usually encountered. To drive the screw entirely home the operator lifts the member upward to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. The lirst movement thereof engages the ends 18 of the jaws and swings the elements le away from thescrew and the final movement thereof lifts the sleeve G and jaws to a position above the bit. The Darts are held in this position by the ball 8 engaging in the groove l0.

,it is believed that the construction, operation and the several advantages of our invention will be clear without further description herein. Gbviously, an operator can manipuiate the screw driver with one hand on the handle 2 and use the other hand to operate the member 15..

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

l. A screw driver comprising a shank Yhaving a driving bit on one end thereof', a' sleeve Ycarried by the shank near the bit, a pair of jaws pivotally carried by the sleeve, a pair of screw engagingand holding eleyments swivelly carried on the bit ends of the jaws, and means carried by the sleeve and cooperating with jaws for pivoting the jaws in one'direction to engage and hold a screw in the said elements vand in the opposite direction to disengage the elements from the screw, the swivel mounting ofthe screw holding elements permitting the elements to automatically adjust themselves to the proper engagement of different sized screws.

2. A screw driver comprising a shank having aY driving bit on one end thereof, a sleeve carried by the shank near the bit, a pair of aws pivotally carried by the sleeve and having means on the bit end thereof forv engaging a screw, and means carried by the sleeve and cooperating with the bit ends of the jaws to engage the same with a screw when the saio meansY is moved axiaily on the sleeve in one direction and cooperating with the other ends of the jaws at the other side of the pivots to disengage the jaws from the screw when moved axially' on the sleeve in the opposite direction.

3. A screw driver comprising a shank having a driving bit on one end thereof, a sleeve carried by the shank near the bit, a pair of jaws pivotally carried by the sleeve and having means on the bit end thereof for engaging a screw,:means vcai'ried by the'sleeve and cooperating with the jaws for pivoting the jaws in one dirction to engage and hold a screw engaged by the bit and in the opposite direction to` disengage the jaws from the screw, the sleeve being` movable axially away from the bit to draw the aws from interference with the operation of the bit, and means for holding the sleeve in such position.

e. A screw driver comprising a shank having a driving bit on one end thereof, a sleeve carriedl by the shank near the bit, a pair of jaws pivotally carried by the sleeve and having means on the bit end thereof for engaging a screw, and an element carried and slidable axially on the sleeve and having means cooperating` with the outer surfaces of the jaws whereby movement ot the element axially on the sleeve in one direction will force the jaws into engagement with a screw engaged by the bit.

5. A screw driver comprising a shank having a driving it on one end thereof, a sleeve carried by the shank near the bit, a pair of jaws pivotally carried by the sleeve and having` means on the bit end thereol" for engaging a screw, and an element carried by the sleeve and having an annular ring portion surrounding the jaws whereby movement of the element axially in one direction will engage the ring portion with the jaws and force thejawsinto engagement with a screw engaged by the bit, the element being rotatable relative to the sleeve and` jaws without affecting its jaw holding function.

G. A screw holding" device adapted to coope ate with a screw driver having a shank with a driving'bit on one end thereof, a sleeve adapted to be secured on the shank near the bit end thereof, a second sleeve slidable axially to two positions on the first sleeve` a pair of aws pivotally carried by the second sleeve and having means on the bit ends thereof for engaging a screw to be driven by the bit, the sccond'sleeve in one axial position holding the screw-engaging portions of the jaws Abelow the bit and in the other poition holding the same above the bit, and means slidable axially on the second sleeve and cooperating with the jaws, movement thereof toward the bit being adapted to close the jaws andY movement thereof in the opposite direction being adapted to open the jaws.

JAMES L. CRAIG. ALEXANDER BLYTH CRAIG.

llO 

